Alethio Therapeutics Debuts with Leadership Appointments and Plans to Develop Two Targeted Medicines For Chronic Blood Cancers

Alethio Therapeutics, a biotechnology company committed to improving the lives of people living with Myeloproliferative Neoplasms (MPNs), has officially launched from stealth with two antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) programs and the appointments of Dr. Rohit Batta as Chief Executive Officer and Mike Grey as Chair of the Board. The company aims to develop precision, disease-modifying therapies that move beyond symptom management to fundamentally alter the course of these life-threatening blood cancers.

MPNs are a group of chronic, incurable, and ultimately fatal blood cancers that affect around 300,000 people in the U.S. Current treatments, such as JAK inhibitors, are primarily symptomatic and fail to eliminate malignant cells or halt disease progression. This has created an urgent need for disease-modifying options that can extend patients’ lives and improve their quality of life.

Alethio Therapeutics draws on decades of research and clinical experience from its founders, Professors Adam Mead and Beth Psaila of the University of Oxford, who are recognized experts in MPN biology. The company’s proprietary ARTEMIS discovery engine plays a crucial role in identifying and validating novel targets using one of the world’s largest MPN patient cell repositories. ARTEMIS also enables the development of first-in-class medicines and helps de-risk drug candidates before clinical trials by using advanced human bone marrow organoid models that accurately replicate patient biology.

The company’s lead program, AT-01, represents a first-in-class ADC designed to target and eradicate disease-driving cells in MPN. Developed through the ARTEMIS platform, AT-01 can penetrate fibrotic bone marrow and selectively eliminate mutant stem cells and fibrosis-driving megakaryocytes — the key culprits behind disease progression. Preclinical studies have shown that AT-01 demonstrates strong disease-modifying potential, with high selectivity and cytotoxicity for mutant stem cells, sparing healthy cells. It also reduces spleen size and fibrosis-driving cells, factors that are predictive of clinical benefit. These results have been validated across multiple disease models, including patient-derived bone marrow organoids that mimic the challenging tumor microenvironment found in MPNs.

Alethio is preparing AT-01 for IND/CTA-enabling studies, which are expected to begin in the first half of 2026. The company’s second ADC program, AT-02, targets mutant CALR — a major disease driver found in approximately 30% of MPN patients. Because mutant CALR is surface-exposed and mutation-specific, it represents an ideal ADC target for precise and effective therapy.

To lead the next phase of growth, Alethio Therapeutics has expanded its leadership team. Dr. Rohit Batta joins as CEO, bringing more than two decades of experience in translating breakthrough science into real-world therapies. Before joining Alethio, Dr. Batta served as Managing Director and Head of Ferring Ventures and previously as Chief Medical Officer at Vicore Pharma. During his tenure at GSK, he led the clinical strategy for haemoglobinopathy gene therapies and played a key role in launching the world’s first gene therapy for a pediatric rare disease — an achievement recognized with a Prix Galien award. His medical background as a physician in the UK’s National Health Service further enhances his clinical and strategic leadership.

Mike Grey, Alethio’s new Chair of the Board, brings over 45 years of experience across biotechnology, global pharma, and venture capital. He has founded and grown several successful biotech companies and currently serves as Chair or Executive Chair at Mirum Pharmaceuticals, Sorriso Pharmaceuticals, Spruce Biosciences, Plexium, and Theolytics. His deep operational experience will support Alethio’s strategy as it advances its ADC programs toward the clinic.

Grey joins an experienced board that includes Mark Throsby, Suman Shirodkar, and Beth Psaila. Throsby, a biopharma executive with expertise in antibody engineering, has held leadership positions at Crucell, Merus, and Gadeta. Shirodkar, a biotech leader with 25 years of experience, played a pivotal role in the European launch of Jakafi for MPN, contributing to its multi-billion-dollar success. She now chairs NanoPhoria and previously served as CEO of Larkspur Biosciences and Cambridge Epigenetix. Alethio’s founding investor, Oxford Science Enterprises, is represented on the board by Sally Dewhurst and Sanne De Jongh, both of whom bring significant expertise in venture investing and company building based on cutting-edge science.

Headquartered at Abingdon Science Park near Oxford, Alethio Therapeutics operates state-of-the-art laboratories that support its ongoing research and development efforts. The company’s rebranding from Alethiomics to Alethio Therapeutics marks its evolution from scientific exploration into a development-stage biotech dedicated to delivering disease-modifying precision medicines for MPNs.

“With no curative options, MPNs expose patients to ongoing risk of disease evolution and poor outcomes,” said Dr. Rohit Batta, CEO of Alethio Therapeutics. “Alethio Therapeutics is entering a new chapter with the ambition and team to deliver the first disease-modifying ADC therapies for MPNs. While current treatments are largely symptomatic, our unique expertise and approach enable us to directly target the drivers of disease progression, with the aim of shifting the treatment paradigm for MPNs and transforming outcomes for patients.”

Mike Grey, Chair of the Board, added, “Alethio Therapeutics is advancing its lead program to the clinic, benefitting from the capabilities it has assembled for the creation of disease-modifying medicines for chronic blood cancers where existing treatments are inadequate. The company combines deep expertise in MPN disease biology, target discovery, and ADC development — a combination that has the potential to unlock new opportunities and fuel a pipeline of transformative precision therapies.”

With its cutting-edge science, experienced leadership, and innovative drug discovery engine, Alethio Therapeutics is poised to redefine the treatment landscape for MPNs and bring new hope to patients facing these devastating diseases.